Jeremy Rowley
Jrowley1@uwyo.edu
Part of the UW William Robertson Coe Library is closed until early December of this year.
The north side of the library’s first floor is currently undergoing construction, Deborah McCarthy, interim associate dean and head of technical services at the University of Wyoming Libraries, said.
“The carpet on the north side of Level One in the 1950’s and 1970’s sections of Coe Library is being repaired, as the edges of the carpet tiles are curling up and pulling away from the floor,” McCarthy said. “This requires that the book stacks be moved, the carpet removed, the sub-floor cleaned, the carpet glued back down and the book stacks returned. This process will be repeated in small sections until the project is complete.”
It is projected the construction will be completed by Dec. 5 of this year, McCarthy said.
“The edges of the carpet tiles in this section of the building have been peeling away from the floor for a few years,” she said.
In preparation for this project the scanner, photocopier, newspapers and some furniture have been moved into different locations on the first floor so as to make room for the other steps of the project, McCarthy said.
“Removal of these items created some open space,” she said. “Small sections of book stacks are moved to these open areas, the carpet work is completed and the books stacks are returned to their original locations. The books are still on ‘level one,’ just not in their usual locations.”
Some pre-planning will be necessary in order to obtain any books typically located on this floor, according to the LibAnswers section of the UW Libraries website.
“If you need a book that is located on ‘level 1,’ you have two options to obtain it. The first option is to inquire at the Circulation Desk on ‘level 2.’ Provide the information about the text you want (title, author, call number.) A staff member will go obtain the book(s) for you and deliver them to the Circulation Desk where those books will be checked out to you,” the website reads.
The website also suggests using the Coe Library Request It function, which allows students to reserve books in advance online and pick them up at the Circulation Desk.
Olivia Spencer, a graduate student in the public administration program at UW, has been coming to Coe Library once a week to work on a group project, she said; however, she has not noticed the construction work on the first level.
“I usually rent several books a semester, but I will just get them online and pick them up at the desk.”
This use of the Coe Library website’s Request It function has made the construction a non-issue, Spencer said.
